International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 3, Issue 8, August-2012

ISSN 2229-5518

Mode Patterns of Parallel plates

&Rectangular wave guides
Mr.K.Chandrashekhar, Dr.Girish V Attimarad
Abstract-Parallel plate and rectangular waveguide both support Transverse Magnetic (TM) and Transverse Electric (TE) wave propagation and also it is
well known that TM and TE modes have characteristic cutoff frequencies. TE/TM Waves of frequencies below the cutoff frequency of a particular mode
cannot propagate through the waveguide. Computer simulations were performed to study this phenomenon, for various modes. Simulation study results
show that only particular mode at a particular frequency will result in propagation. This study can be considered as a workbench for further designing of
waveguides.
Index Terms- Maxwells equations, Mode patterns, parallel plate waveguides, rectangular waveguide TE mode, TM Mode, wave propagation.

1 INTRODUCTION
The Characteristics of the waves propagating along uniform
guiding structures, Wave guiding structure may consists of
two co-axial conductors or two parallel plates or it may be
single hollow conductor called waveguide. Three types of
transmission modes are Transverse Electric and Magnetic
(TEM) waves, Transverse Electric (TE) wave and Transverse
Magnetic (TE) wave. A rectangular, Circular ,elliptical and
hollow, Metallic waveguides supports only TE and TM
modes but TEM waves cannot exist in a single- hollow
conductor wave guide shape because TEM are characterized
by Ez=0, Hz=0 and fc=0. [1]
To support all TEM modes for a TEM wave two separate
conductor structure is required, such as Co-axial cable,
Parallel plate waveguide, Strip line and micro strip lines. The
two conductor lines can be analyzed in terms of voltage,
current and impedance by the distributed circuit theory[4].
The rest of the paper is organized into some sections.
Section II describes TM and TE wave equations in Parallel
plate waveguide , Section 3 describes TM and TE wave
equations in Rectangular plate waveguide , Section 4
discusses simulation results finally section 5 Concludes.

Fig 1: parallel plate waveguide[3]

[2]
The above equation satisfy the boundary condition
We conclude that

must be the following form

(2)
Where the amplitude An depends on the strength of the
particular TM wave.

(3)

PARALLEL PLATE WAVEGUIDE

Parallel plate wave guide mainly consist of two perfectly

conducting plates separated by a dielectric medium with
constituent parameters and . The plates are assumed to be
of infinite length in x-direction as shown in figure.1. Let us
suppose that TM waves (Hz=0) propagate in the +z-direction.

2.1 TM waves
Transverse magnetic (TM) wave do not have component of
the magnetic field in the direction of propagation hence
Hz=0. The behavior of the TM wave can be analyzed using
the equation 1.

(1)

(4)
Propagation constant is given by

Cut off frequency can be obtained by substituting

fc=
The instantaneous field expressions for TM1 mode are
obtained by multiplying equations (2), (3) and (4)

(5)
(6)
(7)
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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 3, Issue 8, August-2012

ISSN 2229-5518

In the yz- plane E has both a y- and a z- component and the

relation of the electric field lines at a given time can be obtain
from the following equation.

(8)
Put t=0 in the above equation (8) and which can be rewritten
as

(9)

A rectangular waveguide supports TM and TE modes but

not TEM waves. Shape of rectangular waveguide is as shown
in Fig 2. A material permittivity e and permeability m fills the
inside of the conductor.
In a rectangular waveguide wave propagates below some
frequency called as cut-off frequency. Here, we will discuss
TM wave propagation and TE wave propagation in
rectangular waveguides separately. Lets start with the TM
mode.

Which gives the slope of the electric field lines and

integrating above equation we get
Several such electric field lines are shown in the figure (3)
Similarly

(10)
Fig 2: Rectangular waveguide

Since H has only an x-component the magnetic field lines are

everywhere perpendicular to the yz-plane as shown in Fig 3.

2.2 TE waves[3]

3.1 TM waves[3]

Transverse electric waves,

equation for

we solve the following

which is simplified

(11)
Consider

the boundary conditions to be

satisfied by

are obtained

(12)
From equation (11) we obtain

(13)

Consider the shape of the rectangular waveguide as

shown above with dimensions a,b (assume a>b) and the
parameters e and m. For TM waves Hz =0 and Ez can be solved
from the equation given below
2
0+ 2 0
(16)
xy Ez h Ez =0
Since Ez(x, y, z) =Ez0 (x, y) e-gz , we get the following equation,
0 (x,y) =0
( +
Ez
(16)
Using the method of separation of variables, that is
(x,y)=X(x),Y(y) we get,

Where Bn is the amplitude depends on the strength of

execution of the particular TE wave,and we can also obtain
other non zero field components

(14)
(15)

Ez0

(18)
Since the right side contains x terms only and the left
side contains y terms only hence both are equal to a constant.
Calling that constant as kx2, we get

The cut-off frequency for the TEn modes in a parallel plate

wave guide is exactly the same as for the TMm mode. For n=0
both Hy and Ex vanish; hence the TE0 mode doesnt exist in a
parallel plate waveguides.

(19)

(20)

Where

RECTANGULAR WAVEGUIDE:

Rectangular waveguides are the one of the type of

transmission lines. They are used in many applications such
as isolators, detectors, attenuators, couplers and slotted lines
and these waveguide components are available for various
standard waveguide bands between 1 GHz to above 220
GHz.

=h2-

Solve for X and Y from the previous equations. Also

applying the following boundary conditions,

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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 3, Issue 8, August-2012

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Observing the above equations it can be concluded that TM

modes in rectangular waveguides will not exist for m or n
zero. This is because of the fact that the expressions are
identically zero if either m or n is zero. Therefore, the lowest
possible values of m and n in a rectangular waveguide are 1
and 1; i.e. TM mode is TM11.
Cut-off wave number and propagation constant is given by

From all these, we conclude that

X(x) is in the form of sin kx x, where kx=mp/a, m=1, 2, 3

(31)
Y(y) is in the form of sin ky y, where ky=np/a, n=1,2, 3

(21)
So the solution for
From

=h -

The

cut-off

frequency

is

at

the

point

(32)

is

, we have

Since l=u/f, we have the cut-off wavelength,

(22)

(22)

For TM waves, we have

(33)
(23)

(24)

At a given operating frequency f, only those frequencies, which

satisfy the condition fc <f will propagate.
The mode with the lowest cut-off frequency is called the
dominant mode. Similarly modes for rectangular waveguides
start from TM11 mode, the dominant frequency

(25)
From these above equations, we get

(34)
(26)
(27)

The wave impedance is defined as the ratio of the

transverse electric and magnetic fields. Therefore, we get from
the expressions for Ex and Hy (see the equations above)

(28)
ZTM

(35)

(29)
Where

The guide wavelength is defined as the distance

between two equal planes in the waveguide and its equal to

(30)
>
Where m and n represent possible modes and it is designated
as the TMmn .m denotes the number of half cycle variations of
the fields in the x-direction and n denotes the number of half
cycle variations of the fields in the y-direction.

(36)

This is thus greater than I, the wavelength of a plane wave in

the filling medium.
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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 3, Issue 8, August-2012

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The phase velocity is given by

at y=b

(45)

From all these, we get

(37)
This is thus greater than the speed of light (plane wave) in
the filling material

(46)
From

3.2 TE waves

=h2-

, we have;

For TE waves Ez =0 and Hz can be solved from the equation

given below

(47)
For TE waves, we have

2xy Hz + h2 Hz=0
(48)
Since Hz (x,y,z) = Hz0(x,y)e-gz, the following equation,

(49)
(38)
(50)
Use

the

method

of separation
we get,

of

variables,

that

is
(51)

(39)

From the above equations, we can obtain the following

equations.

Since the right side contains x terms only and the left side
contains y terms only; hence they are both equal to constant.
Calling that constant as kx2, we get;

(52)
(53)

(40)

(54)
(55)

(41)
Where

=h -

Where

Solve for x and y from the preceding equations. Also we

have following boundary conditions:
at x=0

at x=a

(42)

(43)

(56)
Where m and n represent possible modes and it is shown as
the TEmn mode. m denotes the number of half cycle variations
of the fields in the x-direction and n the number of half cycle
variations of the fields in the y-direction.
Here, the cut-off wave number and propagation is given by

(57)
at y=0

(44)
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ISSN 2229-5518

(58)
The cut-off frequency is given by

(59)
Since l=u/f, we have the cut-off wavelength,

Fig 3: Field lines for TM1 Mode in parallel plate waveguides

(60)
At a given operating frequency f, which have f> fc will
propagate. The modes with f<fc will not propagate. The
mode with the lowest cut-off frequency is called the
dominant mode. Since mode is the minimum possible mode
that gives nonzero field expressions for rectangular
waveguides, it is the dominant mode of a rectangular
waveguide with a>b and dominant frequency is

Parallel plate waveguides TE Modes

(61)
The wave impedance is defined as the ratio of the transverse
electric and magnetic fields. Therefore, we get from the
expressions for Ex and Hy (refer above equations)

ZTE

(62)

Fig 4: Field lines for TE1 Mode in parallel plate waveguides

The guide wavelength is defined as the distance between two

equal phase planes the waveguide and its equal to

>

Mr.K.chandrashekhar is pursuing his doctoral degree

fromVTU,Belgaum,India.e-mail:kcm.shekar@gmail.com
Dr.Girish V Attimarad is a professor & Head
DSCET,Bangalore,India.e-mail:gattimarad@gmail.com

(63)

Rectangular waveguide TM modes

The phase velocity is

(64)
This is thus greater than the speed of plane wave in the
filling material.

RESULTS

Parallel plate waveguides TM Modes

Fig 5: Field lines for TM11 Mode in rectangular waveguide

Rectangular waveguide TE10 Mode
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International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 3, Issue 8, August-2012

ISSN 2229-5518

[4]

Fig 6: Field lines for TE10 Modes in rectangular waveguide

5 CONCLUSION
A rectangular, Circular, elliptical and hollow, Metallic
waveguides supports only TE and TM modes but TEM waves
dont exist in a single-conductor hollow wave guide because
TEM waves are characterized by Ez=0, Hz=0 and fc=0.
To support all TEM modes for a TEM wave two separate
conductor structure is required, such as Co-axial cable,
Parallel plate waveguide, Strip line and micro strip lines. The
two conductor lines can be analyzed in terms of voltage,
current and impedance by the distributed circuit theory. The
methodology applied to derive field equations can be
extended to other waveguides also. Obtained equations and
Computer Simulation results can be compared to understand
the field lines and the Propagation characteristics.

REFERENCES
[1]

N.Marcuvitz Waveguide Handbook The institution of

Electrical Engineers. Dec-1985

[2] David.K.Cheng Field and Wave Electromagnetics 2nd

Ed, 2006 Tsinghua University Press pp-520-560
[3]

Annapurna Das,Ssir K Das Microwave Engineering

Mc-Grawhill HE, Sept 2006.
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Constantine A Balanis Advanced Engineering

ElectromagneticsJohn Wiley and Sons 1989